Letter to the Editor: Response to tour group editorial

Dear Hurricane Editorial Board,

Your recent opinion article on tour groups (Our opinion: Tour groups can make UM feel like zoo-niversity, April 6) brings up a lot of points that are critically unfair in your evaluation of the current tour system at the University of Miami. As a member of the President’s 100, I am aware of the overwhelming feeling that can sometimes be felt during tour times throughout the week. However, the fact that you feel as though our school turns into a zoo every time a tour is conducted is realistically unfair.

I assume that these feelings are recent as prospective students from all across the country have been visiting the past couple months in order to make sure that University of Miami is the best fit for them. For most visitors, their tour is the one and only interaction they will have with the University before making a decision which puts enormous pressure on us “P’s” to effectively deliver. As members, we volunteer our time to give these tours and unfortunately not all of us can be available each and every day to give a tour. This results in sometimes “large” tour groups that we must navigate across campus. I severely doubt any person facing an oncoming tour group as ever been forced “nearly into the lake.”

Although the school and us P’s would love to have smaller tour groups, it is unfeasible for us to do so. Yet, we still make a conscious effort to make the tours as personal as possible by answering any (and I do mean any) questions students and parents may have. On a personal note, I would welcome students showing school spirit towards tour groups so long as it was done in an appropriate and fashionable manner. It allows visitors to see that we are a multifaceted, entertaining student body. In fact, I encourage each student to approach a prospective student and offer to give your personal opinion on your experiences as a Cane. You never know what kind of an impact you might make on a prospective student’s college decision.

-Josh Chazen
Sophomore
Member, President’s 100